POLITICAL TENSION continues to mount in the hotbed of Central Kingston where the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate for the constituency, Dr. Charlton Collie, was pinned down on Monday night for about 30 minutes inside a bar on Gold Street after heavily armed gunmen attacked the area.

Reacting to the shooting, Kingston Central Police carried out two raids in the troubled area and arrested six people, all in connection with breaches of the Dangerous Drug Act.

Up to yesterday, the number of persons killed violently across the island stood at 695. Based on the police records, Central Kingston has the fourth highest murder rate in the island with 58.

It is only behind St. Andrew South Police Division with 102, St. Catherine South with 69 and St. Catherine North with 59.

Reports relating to Monday night's shooting are that gunmen came from the direction of James Street, a stronghold of the People's National Party (PNP), and used the concrete perimeter fencing of a school on East Queen Street as a shield to attack the Gold Street area. There were no reports of any injuries.

"We were inside the bar conducting some business when we heard a barrage of gunshots. We called the police to escort us from the bar. We waited but up to 30 minutes after it started, no lawmen came. They were seen in the area, but they did not come to the bar," said Dr. Collie.